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  Thin film transistor substrateUSPTO Application #: 20070023760Title: Thin film transistor substrate Abstract: A thin film transistor substrate including a thin film transistor having a drain electrode with an electrode portion, which overlaps with a semiconductor layer, and an extended portion, which extends from the electrode portion and has a portion overlapping with a storage electrode or storage electrode line. A passivation layer is arranged on the drain electrode, and it has a contact hole that partially exposes the extended portion of the drain electrode without exposing a step in the extended portion caused by the storage electrode or storage electrode line. A pixel electrode is arranged on the passivation layer and is electrically connected with the extended portion of the drain electrode through the contact hole. (end of abstract) Agent: H.c. Park & Associates, PLC - Vienna, VA, US Inventors: Hyuk-Jin KIM, Kyung-Wook KIM USPTO Applicaton #: 20070023760 - Class: 257072000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Active Solid-state Devices (e.g., Transistors, Solid-state Diodes), Non-single Crystal, Or Recrystallized, Semiconductor Material Forms Part Of Active Junction (including Field-induced Active Junction), Field Effect Device In Non-single Crystal, Or Recrystallized, Semiconductor Material, In Array Having Structure For Use As Imager Or Display, Or With Transparent Electrode The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070023760. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims priority from and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0061359, filed on Jul. 7, 2005, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate used for a liquid crystal display apparatus, and more particularly, to a TFT substrate that may prevent faulty pixels from occurring due to permeation of cleaning liquid. [0004] 2. Discussion of the Background [0005] Generally, a liquid crystal display (LCD) displays images using electrical and optical properties of liquid crystals that are injected into a liquid crystal panel. LCD displays have several advantages such as they may be made thin, lightweight, and they have relatively low power consumption as compared to electronic products having a cathode ray tube (CRT). Therefore, LCDs are extensively used in a variety of applications, including display devices such as laptop and desktop computers, HD imaging systems, and the like. [0006] An LCD generally includes a liquid crystal panel assembly and a backlight assembly. The liquid crystal panel assembly may include a liquid crystal panel, a driving integrated circuit (IC), and a flexible printed circuit board. The liquid crystal panel may be formed by injecting liquid crystal material having an anisotropic dielectric constant between a TFT substrate and a color filter substrate. The driving IC applies a driving signal to a gate line and a data line formed on the liquid crystal panel. The flexible printed circuit board connects the driving IC with a printed circuit board, which transmits predetermined data and control signals to the driving IC. The liquid crystal panel assembly is combined with the backlight assembly, which includes a lamp assembly and various optical sheets, thereby forming the LCD. [0007] Generally, the TFT substrate includes gate wiring, data wiring, and a pixel electrode. The gate wiring includes a gate line end portion, a gate line, a gate electrode, and a storage electrode line. The data wiring includes a data line end portion, a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a data line. The pixel electrode transmits a signal received through the data line to a pixel area to form an electric field in a liquid crystal layer. [0008] The drain electrode overlaps a portion of the storage electrode line. The overlapped portion of the storage electrode line and the drain electrode forms a storage capacitor that stores a signal applied to the pixel electrode until a subsequent signal is applied. [0009] A passivation layer may be formed on the gate wiring and the data wiring to protect them. A contact hole may be formed in the passivation layer so that a predetermined region of the drain electrode may be electrically connected with the pixel electrode. The contact hole may expose a step of the storage electrode line. [0010] When depositing a metal material for forming the data wiring, the metal material may not be deposited on the step, thereby resulting in a crevice since the step is not favorable to the formation of a layer thereon. In particular, the step is more unfavorable to layer formation when the gate wiring and the data wiring have a multilayer structure than when they have a single-layer structure. If a crevice forms at the step, cleaning liquid may collect at the crevice when performing various cleaning processes, which may cause the data and gate wirings to erode. [0011] Such erosion of the data wiring or the gate wiring causes a faulty pixel to occur. Accordingly, it is desired to prevent faulty pixels from occurring due to the permeation of a cleaning liquid to increase yield. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0012] The present invention provides a thin film transistor (TFT) substrate that may be capable of preventing a faulty pixel from occurring due to permeation of a cleaning liquid. [0013] The present invention also provides a liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatus including the TFT substrate. [0014] Additional features of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. [0015] The present invention discloses a thin film transistor substrate including a gate line having a gate electrode formed on an insulating substrate, a storage electrode line having a storage electrode formed on the same layer as the gate line, a gate insulating layer formed on the gate line, a semiconductor layer formed on the gate insulating layer, a data line crossing the gate line and having a source electrode that at least partially overlaps with the semiconductor layer, a drain electrode opposite to the source electrode with respect to the gate electrode and including an electrode portion, which overlaps with the semiconductor layer, and an extended portion, which extends from the electrode portion and has a portion that overlaps with the storage electrode, a passivation layer formed on the drain electrode and having a contact hole that partially exposes the extended portion of the drain electrode and entirely overlaps with the storage electrode, and a pixel electrode formed on the passivation layer and electrically connected with the extended portion of the drain electrode through the contact hole. [0016] The present invention also discloses a thin film transistor substrate including a gate line having a gate electrode formed on an insulating substrate, a storage electrode line formed on the same layer as the gate line, a gate insulating layer formed on the gate line, a semiconductor layer formed on the gate insulating layer, a data line crossing the gate line and having a source electrode that at least partially overlaps with the semiconductor layer, a drain electrode opposite to the source electrode with respect to the gate electrode and including an electrode portion, which overlaps with the semiconductor layer, and an extended portion, which extends from the electrode portion and has a portion that overlaps with the storage electrode line, a passivation layer formed on the drain electrode and having a contact hole that partially exposes the extended portion of the drain electrode and does not overlap with the storage electrode line, and a pixel electrode formed on the passivation layer and electrically connected with the extended portion of the drain electrode through the contact hole. [0017] The present invention also discloses a thin film transistor substrate including a gate line having a gate electrode formed on an insulating substrate, a storage electrode line formed on the same layer as the gate line, a gate insulating layer formed on the gate line, a semiconductor layer formed on the gate insulating layer, a data line crossing the gate line and having a source electrode that at least partially overlaps with the semiconductor layer, a drain electrode opposite to the source electrode with respect to the gate electrode and including an electrode portion, which overlaps with the semiconductor layer and the storage electrode line, and an extended portion, which extends from the electrode portion, a passivation layer formed on the drain electrode and having a contact hole that partially exposes the extended portion of the drain electrode and does not overlap with the storage electrode line, and a pixel electrode formed on the passivation layer and electrically connected with the extended portion of the drain electrode through the contact hole. [0018] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0019] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. [0020] FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of an LCD apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Continue reading... Full patent description for Thin film transistor substrate Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Thin film transistor substrate patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Thin film transistor substrate or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Thin film transistor, circuit apparatus and liquid crystal display Next Patent Application: Silicon carbon germanium (sicge) substrate for a group iii nitride-based device Industry Class: Active solid-state devices (e.g., transistors, solid-state diodes) ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Thin film transistor substrate patent info. 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